They say that grief is enough to make a person go mad. But what will happen when an injustice that caused it recieved no consequence?
Well, it is when revenge takes its form.
***
The noises coming from outside the room jolted me. As I noticed shadows of footsteps rummaging in the light beneath the door, I drew closer to the crack. There were screams of a woman as the sound approached, followed by the screeching of a sandal being dragged across the floor. I gasped when the door flung open, and I saw my sister weeping as the thick chains coiled around her neck. Beside her was my brother, all wounded and barely breathing. The palace guards dragged them to the thick carpeted floor and shoved their heads to the table. "Look how far you fell down," a cold snickering voice overpowered the wailing of my sister.
"The king," I mumbled. I would recognize him anywhere even though I never met him. He strode inside the room as he dragged my father's bloody corpse through the thick chains of leash coiled around his neck.
My sister screamed, "You're a devil! You're a devil incarnate!"
He didn't reply, only laughed and turned to the guard. "Cut Calipse's head," he ordered in to which my sister blurted, "No! Please, please no! You already killed my father, what more could you want?!"
She begged, tears soaking her ragged hair that stick to her face. "Sciel, it is not you whom I want to punish." He replied before they swung the axe and make my brother spill fresh, warm blood. She screamed, and I almost did too, his severed head rolled down the table and faced me. His eyes blinked, and mouth— red as ever, wriggled as if it were whispering to me.
"No," I mumbled, my father in his extravagant self is not dead. My brother was not beheaded, my sister is not going to die, and there never was a massacre — this must all be a nightmare, a horrific nightmare, I thought to myself. Tomorrow morning, I would wake up in Sicie's arms as she sang that horrible song till her vocal cords crack, but I would be glad anyway.
This is simply not true, but the aching of my heart told me otherwise. I looked at my sister, she was sitting up now, the king was grabbing the back of her head and leaned in nonchalantly to her face as if preparing for a kiss. I drew closer to see a clearer view but the cabinet suddenly made a soft creak, interrupting his agenda. He halted.
The king turned around and saw the flicker of teardrops in my eye through the crack. He stood and seized the dagger beside him.
"Don't do it, love. Don't make me hate you even more than I already do."
My sister interrupted, her voice raspy as it never were. He looked at her with a bittersweet gaze, "I went mad because of you, none of this would've ever happened if it weren't for you. We would've been the happiest."
She kept her words to herself and didn't retort. Euphemie Sciel Eveighden — the fairest in our kingdom, the fire light illuminated her auburn hair like a goddess she was praised to be. The king kneeled before her and draw blood across her neck with the dagger.
They soon turned to leave, leaving the room filled with a hot metallic smell. I was left freezed in my position, all numb, and cold to the bone. Gathering all my strength to get away, I pushed the the cabinet open with one hand, and then and there I saw a clearer view of the aftermath. "S-sicie!" I ran to my sister, hoping a spark of life still lingers in her corpse.
But I stumbled on something cold and heavy, like a rock.
How could I have forgotten? My brother's severed head still lies on the ground. I looked back, a strong feeling of horror gushed through me. I threw up.
I would've collapsed, but seeing how my family was brutally murdered made me maintain my rationality. My father's eyes were gouged out while his intestines hang loose, my sister was offered a quick and less painful death, but dead nevertheless. And my brother, his head rolled like a ball with just one swing of an axe. I cringed at the brutality, I wouldn't want to experience the same pain they felt.
There were running footsteps rummaging behind the door and I felt a pang of anxiety. I ran to the nearest window facing the back of the manor. Hesitating, I looked back to my only family, I cannot leave them here. But somewhere at the back of my head, I heared my Aunt's voice whisper what she had said earlier.
"You must survive at all cost! Please, you at least must survive!"
I bit my lip harder that I intended, and jumped. The air resistance gushed through me as I closed my eyes, hoping the impact won't crush my bones too much. I fell on the rose bush, its thorns prickling my fair skin. I groaned and screamed as I stood. The battle isn't over yet, this time I was bawling. The palace guards still surrounded the place, turning the manor upside down in search for any witnesses. Somewhere within the front gates, a fire was started. The nobles being held hostage within the area screamed and were forced to run away, while the guards chased after them. I took this opportunity to run towards the secret passage only my closest family knew about. I limped, feeling an aggravating pain being made to my feet at every step I take.
I made it through the passage, only to see someone guarding the exit. At this moment my head was dripping red blood to my face, and my blood soaked white dress doesn't seem white anymore. I sobbed again unable to explain the amount of pain I am in. The guard turned around after hearing my sobbing, and frozed as if seeing a ghost. He stepped backwards as I kept walking, and ran all the while howling in fear.
Just run. Escape this hell, Edinia.
A voice kept ringing in my ears, it was an order that I obeyed. I bent and took off my heels, tear a part of my dress, and ran. Whenever I feel like fainting, I ran faster. For my mother, for my family, for my self. This was an enormous will to live that I never should've felt. I was only twelve.